Illinois trooper's vehicle strikes, kills man on highway

Published 3:57 am, Monday, August 15, 2016

EAST PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say an Illinois State trooper's vehicle struck and killed a Freeport man who was walking in the middle of a highway in East Peoria.

Illinois State Police say the incident happened early Saturday on Illinois Route 116. The Tazewell County Coroner's Office identified the man as 44-year-old Jarett J. Simons of Freeport.

Authorities say a preliminary investigation found the trooper was driving in the left lane when the vehicle struck Simons. The highway isn't illuminated in that area. Officials said the trooper didn't have time to react before the vehicle struck Simons. The trooper wasn't hurt. He wasn't identified.

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Simons' brother, Greg Simons, said he last saw Jarett Simons on Thursday and didn't know why he was in East Peoria.